Some may disagree, but in my world, lighting is everything! I obsess about lighting. Bad lighting can make even the most exquisite room seem off and uncomfortable. Good lighting, on the other hand, in even a mediocre room, can make you feel amazing.

There have been volumes written about lighting. For this post, these few tips will be directed towards decorative lighting: table lamps, floor lamps, sconces, chandeliers and pendants.

Tips

1). Lighting can be an opportunity to be creative. Find lamps that reflects your personality or the geographic location of your space, or both. For example, if you are in a city apartment/ loft, find lighting that has an urban, sophisticated feel. Eg: Glass, Metals or Ceramics. A house in the country, the direction could reflect natural materials. Eg: Nagucchi paper shaded fixture, wood, or hand thrown ceramic lamps, etc.

2). Location and Scale: Consider where the lamp is going. If you need a lamp next to the bed, you want something high enough to read by, and low enough that the glare of the bulb doesn’t annoy you. A lamp next to the sofa, consider the scale. The lamp has to be in some relationship with the size of the sofa. Nothing worse than the feeling you are in an Alice in Wonderland vignette.

3). Lighting sets a mood and therefore, should always be on dimmer switches. This makes moving from task lighting to sunset cocktail lighting easy… with a glide of the finger.

4). The Art of Lampshades: If you have access to a custom shade store, the best way to get the proper shade is to take the lamp in to be fitted. The harp, the piece that holds that shade, can create a whole different effect, depending the size. Each lamp is different. A good lighting store can help you choose the size and material.

5). Finally, no matter what…You should never see a bare bulb. There is a trend with fixtures showing bare, clear bulbs. I strongly disagree with this trend. If the light makes you squint, it’s not good lighting.

Well, for the moment, that’s all I have to share…otherwise, it would be a book and not a post. Remember, these tips are just that…tips. There is so much more to lighting than meets the eye.
Explore and have fun!